Primary Peritoneal Cancer diagnosis

[LisaYankee]

Hi. Anybody out there with PPC ??? Just wondering what chemo drugs your Dr. has used for you? I did not need surgery - and just got done with 8 rounds of chemo (taxol and carboplatin) ............ had a pet-scan .........and just discovered more "active" lymphnodes. so - my oncologist is researching what other chemo options might be best. Wondering what treatments have been successful for other women? Any feedback would be appreciated!! Thank you!

[Hilsuk]

Hi Lisa, sorry to hear more treatment planned so soon. I've just finished carbo/ taxol ( dose dense weekly for 18 weeks )and avastin 3 weekly for PPC grade 3 b and am due a Pet scan in 2 weeks . Im very apprehnsive that my PET scan may show active disease still too . I'm continuing with avastin for another year- was that an option that was considered ? Are you in the USA , just wondered with your username. Have you not had surgery because you've already had a hysterectomy and ovaries removed in the past ?

Have you been tested for the braca gene? If so the PARPs may help I think, but just used in trials so far . The. Ovacome support nurses may be able to advise you better if you ring them - number on web site

Good luck

Love

Hilary xx

[LisaYankee]

Hi Hilary. Thank you for replying. He has not mentioned avastin - but I will ask him about it. Read on other blogs about people taking that. Yes, I'm in the US. Where are you? (just curious)

Yes, I have had a complete hysterectomy about 6 years ago. I am BRCA 1.

what is PARP ??

[Kaskin]

Hi, I have PPC and had 6 rounds of carbo/taxol, did not need surgery as NED at scan, I recurred after six months, and have had 6 rounds of Gem/carbo and avastin, excellent response so far, and I am having Avastin 3 weekly as maintainence, my Ca125 is 17, and I am having a scan in 2 weeks as part of my 3 monthly check, I hope you find something successful

Mo x

[LisaYankee]

Great information - thank you. But, what is "Gem" ??

[ScardyCat40 in reply to LisaYankee]

Gemcitibine it's a chemotherapy agent. I was told at first I had PPC but when I moved back home it was eventually discovered I had low grade ovarian cancer I think a lot of the treatments for ovarian and PPC are the same. PARP is a type of targeted therapy it's needed to repair cells that carry the BRCA1 mutation so PARP inhibitors block this stopping the cancer cells from growing.

[Suzy]

I have had 2 lots of single dose carboplatin , then carboplatin plus gemcitabine, followed by weekly taxol , then most recently the Rotterdam regimen ,which is cisplatin and etoposide. For me the platinum drugs work best but have the worst side effects.

[Barbara123]

Hi Lisa

I was diagnosed with Ovarian cancer grade 3C back in November 2012. I received 12 treatments of Carbo/Taxol over a 4 month period, then I had debulking surgery in April 2013. The pathology report said that the ovaries appeared to be normal and that it was actually PPC! So sometimes it cannot be determined with just CT scans alone, I finished another 4 months of post surgery chemo, and I am now half way through my 3weekly Avastin which is due to finish in June, 22 treatments in all. I have been gene tested as I had breast cancer back in 2008 but no BRAC gene mutations were found, so maybe there are other genes which could be responsible, I'm now involved in a study, which is looking at these other genes which are as yet unknown. Fingers crossed that this study will help many ladies who have no obvious genetic factors involved!

PPC is considered to be a rare cancer and one that man can also suffer from, but in the main it is treated just like ovarian cancer, good luck with your treatment, there is much research going on in the background I just pray it starts to show promise very soon! Bx